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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23427940">Stay with me a little longer</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/floweronabox/pseuds/floweronabox'>floweronabox</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>End of a Beautiful Friendship, Female Friendship, Gen, Old Age, Old Friends, Older Characters</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 05:34:46</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,029</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23427940</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/floweronabox/pseuds/floweronabox</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Hermione is getting old and spends the end of her life in a retirement home. She doesn't remember much of her past, but there is one person she won't ever forget, her dearest friend, Ginny.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hermione Granger &amp; Ginny Weasley</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Stay with me a little longer</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">


        <li>
            A translation of

            <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/13394007">Reste</a> by <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/floweronabox/pseuds/floweronabox">floweronabox</a>.
        </li>

    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="western">In London, the streets are silent. The sun has not yet risen on the avenue this summery Saturday and only rare souls are crossing the pale blue corridors. It's probably not yet seven o'clock in the morning, most of the rooms are closed, the curtains down. As every morning, however, there is one armchair that scrapes against the floor and comes to rest behind a window ajar. The air still warm from the end of August rushes into the small coral room, number 324, she must enjoy the beautiful season as much as she can.</p><p class="western">In this room there is a woman. Every morning she gets up and goes to her window, a book on her laps. She continues to read and she will always continue. Today, it's an Italian thriller that talks about kidnappings of little boys. At least, that's what she knows at the end of the second chapter. Oh yes, she must start the book again because she has forgotten what the narrator tells after.</p><p class="western">The reflection of the glass shows her long grey hair falling down on her shoulders. Time had finally tamed her dishevelled brown hair.</p><p class="western">A blonde nurse enters the room and retrieves her of her slow reading.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">"Hello, Mrs. Granger, how are you this morning?</p><p class="western">"As usual, Lucy, as usual."</p><p class="western">"I bring you the newspaper and I believe you have a letter. I leave you all that and I'll come back for breakfast," she says.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">The woman nods and when the other comes out, she gets up. By these little steps that characterize old people, she goes to the table next to her bed. With a trembling hand, she takes the envelope and opens it with emotion, it's been a long time since anyone wrote to her.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">
  <em> My dear Hermione,</em>
</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">
  <em> I have not written to you for several months and I am sorry. Georges has gone at the beginning of the year and the mourning of my brother, Ron is very difficult. Sometimes I feel that he is about to go away too. The more days pass and the more Harry's absence weighs on me, I realize now that he will not come back to visit you.</em>
</p><p class="western">
  <em> I'm starting to feel tired, but I'm not the most to be pitied. My doctor keeps telling me that many women at eighty-eight would love to feel as good as I do. Yes, I won a year this month. I would like you to give me some news, I hope you are well.</em>
</p><p class="western">
  <em> Albus Severus will come and get me to spend some time with him and his wife, I'll ask him to bring me to see you. I eagerly wait your response.</em>
</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">
  <em> I kiss you,</em>
</p><p class="western">
  <em> Your very devoted Ginny.</em>
</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Moved, Hermione puts the envelope in the drawer of her table. She would have to ask Lucy when she comes for lunch to remind her to write her answer.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">" I'm back! Come sit down, Mrs. Granger."</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">When the nurse arrives, the old woman goes to her bed and settles there. "I have to ask her something," Hermione tells herself. But she has forgotten what she has to say, so she talks about the weather. It's sunny today, but the weather is going to be bad in the next week. While they are chatting, the old woman thinks that the very light blond hair of the nurse in front of her reminds her of someone, but she doesn't remember who.</p><p class="western">The weeks pass, the months, the envelope remains in the drawer, forgotten. November arrives, as does the weakness. Hermione only gets up very rarely for morning care. There are even days where she can't do it any more. Winter and its cold air are deadly in retirement homes. The rooms are empting themselves, ineluctably.</p><p class="western">On Christmas Eve, there is a man of sixty-four who arrives at the reception. He leans toward the woman sitting behind the desk. With a gesture towards the front door, he asks for something, the woman nods. He goes out and a few minutes later, he comes back, accompanied by an elderly lady, trembling, who smiles.</p><p class="western">Both take the elevator and climb to the third floor. The man sits in the hallway in an empty row of chairs, the woman slightly hit against the door. As no one answers, she enters, rocking on her cane, from one leg to another.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">"Hermione? It's Ginny," she whispers.</p><p class="western">"Oh! Ginny, I'm so happy to see you."</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">The woman is lying in bed, she has not been out since last week. The two women continue to talk all day, Albus Severus is gone but they keep sharing their memories. And as time goes by, Ginny realizes that her friend has forgotten. She has forgotten Ron, Fred, Georges, Luna, Neville, their families, their children. The disease spared no one, or almost none. Because Hermione still remembers her friend, her best friend who has always been there with her. She remembers the moments they shared, their big conversations on the park benches when they told each other everything.</p><p class="western">Night falls on London, Ginny gets up. Her friend seems dozing, it's getting late. The old lady walks slowly to the door, but behind her, a weak voice calls her.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">"Ginny, wait," Hermione murmurs.</p><p class="western">When she comes back and stands next to her, she takes again.</p><p class="western">"Stay with me a little longer. "</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">And Ginny stays all night. She falls asleep on the blankets with her friend. Hermione looks at her, she is happy. At this moment of the night, she feels so good. She would never have believed that until the end she would have had someone who counts. If she had been told that she would find a friendship that would last a lifetime, she would surely not believe it. And yet. She has next to her the most beautiful friend she has ever known, Ginny has always been there and she knows that nothing won't ever separate them. She has the best and she thanks her for that.</p><p class="western">In that silent night, Hermione closes her eyes, squeezing the hand she holds in hers. A smile appears on her face, Ginny was all her life her paradise on earth.</p>
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